The objectives of the Immunology/Cell Isolation Core Laboratory are to make available its specialized facilities for cell isolation/cell sorting, to provide assays of gastrointestinal or hepatic immune function relevant to digestive health research and to offer quantitative cytokine measurements to DHRC investigators, as well as to develop new quantitative tests for the evaluation of mRNA and protein for cytokines or other inflammatory mediators that may be useful in clinical and basic research. It is also the goal of this Core to provide centralized services that will nurture collaborative studies in basic or clinical research that utilize these services and will lead directly to new research projects and funding opportunities. We will accomplish these goals through implementation of the following specific aims: (1) Advise and teach DHRC investigators, through lectures and formal consultation, on principles, methods, analysis, and experimental design of studies involving immunoassays and/or flow cytometry. (2) Provide fully equipped flow cytometry and cell sorting facilities, which will offer DHRC investigators the necessary equipment and technical personnel to perform a wide array of flow cytometric applications and cell sorting. (3) Provide expertise in the isolation of immune, inflammatory and epithelial cells from the gastrointestinal tract and liver for characterization in vitro. (4) Provide a fully equipped centralized facility where uniform quality control can be systematically applied to cytokine assay determinations. (5) Develop assays (ELISA or Bioassays) or test reagents (monoclonal antibodies) that are required by DHRC investigators for on-going research related to cytokine biology. (6) Evaluate the service and the needs of the DHRC members so that the resources bring the most benefit to specifically identified areas of research that are targeted as priorities in the proposed UVa DHRC. Thus, the Core will benefit the DHRC members with a reliable, cost-effective service and exchange of information in order to facilitate development or research related to diseases of the digestive tract.